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Company founders, attorneys and other professionals working in the legal tech space share their journeys into the industry, challenges they face when working with law firms and legal departments, and common misconceptions about technology in the legal industry. If you’d like to write about these issues, please reach out to expertanalysis@law360.com.
In this installment, Subroto Mukerji, CEO of Integreon, discusses how progress can stall when teams focus too heavily on selecting the right technology rather than identifying the right applications, and highlights how there is a need for consistent, principle-based frameworks that guide responsible AI usage.
My Journey Into the Legal Tech World
I spent all my working career in IT services and entered the legal tech world at what I believe was the perfect moment. I grew up in India, and, after college and a few years of working in the IT industry, relocated to the U.S. In all, I spent over three decades in the technology sector, including key leadership roles at HP and its predecessor and successor companies.
Later, I served as chief operating officer and then president of the Americas at Rackspace Technology. Throughout my career, I’ve been driven by a consistent focus: not just implementing technology, but ensuring it is applied in ways that truly benefit the end client. I joined Integreon in 2022 — serendipitously, right around the time generative artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT, launched. I had seen many such transitions in the IT industry: For instance, the rise of the internet, and the transitions from PCs to mobile and from on-premises software to the cloud. The lessons from these other major shifts apply to the change that we are seeing in legal tech today:
- Clients need even more help when there is a technology inflection
- Service providers that learn and adopt the new technology win. In fundamental technology change (like generative AI), early adopters will expand their lead over others, and fast followers will not catch up.
- Keeping the people dimension at the forefront is
- When technology is changing rapidly and no winner has emerged, it is often better to buy the milk, not the cow. In other words, buy the outcome rather than the This is especially true because large enterprises have complex processes to introduce new technology, so they should begin by buying tech-enabled outcomes even as they evaluate which new tech to buy for what use cases.
- The basics of economics are not changed by a new technology, so incentives still drive behavior. This means that crafting win/win scenarios is important.
Biggest Challenges When Working With Law Firms or Legal Departments
We work with large enterprise companies and law firms around the world. Many of our clients are either mandated or are actively seeking to implement generative AI solutions. One of the most common challenges we see isn’t a lack of interest; rather, it’s the difficulty in shifting from experimentation to intentional, scalable adoption.
Too often, progress stalls because teams focus too heavily on selecting the right technology rather than identifying the right applications. Identifying the right use cases is a critical first step for firms to move beyond experimentation.
It can be daunting, particularly in organizations that may lack clear internal processes for innovation, feel uncertain about their technical readiness, or are wary of making premature investment decisions. But sidestepping this step in favor of tech scouting puts form before function.
Successful adoption should always begin with a specific business need. Rather than chasing vendor hype or market buzz, legal teams should anchor their efforts in well-defined, real- world challenges that align with strategic objectives. Use cases should be selected not because they match the latest trends, but because they solve a real problem and improve measurable outcomes.
Common Misconceptions Attorneys Have About Working With New Technology
I don’t think skepticism about new technology is unique to attorneys. With the introduction of any transformative innovation, there are always misconceptions — both about what technology can do and what it cannot.
That said, legal professionals do tend to be especially cautious by nature. They are trained to identify risk, mitigate exposure and operate within tightly defined frameworks, so it’s no surprise that the adoption of new technology is met with a higher degree of scrutiny.
To address those concerns, I always go back to use cases. Demonstrating where and how technology can deliver real, measurable value in legal workflows is key to shifting perceptions. Whether it’s accelerating contract review, enhancing document classification or improving legal research, showing practical results builds trust.
When it comes to risk, it’s critical to reinforce that technology is not a replacement for legal expertise, but rather an enabler.
In fact, to minimize risk and fully harness the potential of technology such as generative AI, subject matter and process expertise are more important than ever. These tools need to be guided, monitored and continuously refined by professionals who understand the nuances of the law and the context in which it is applied.
Business and Legal Hurdles
One of the biggest business hurdles we’re seeing in the legal services space isn’t just about technology, it’s about people. As generative AI rapidly evolves, the challenge is beyond simply deploying the tools but ensuring that teams across the organization are equipped to use them effectively and responsibly.
From a regulatory perspective, clarity is still evolving, and that’s understandable given how quickly the technology is advancing. While I don’t believe we need heavy-handed regulation, there is a need for consistent, principle-based frameworks that guide responsible AI usage, particularly in high-stakes areas like legal services.
Until such guardrails are fully established, it’s incumbent on organizations like ours to lead with accountability, transparency and client trust at the core.
Other Legal Tech Tools That Have Impressed Me
My favorite legal tech tool, broadly speaking, is not one tool, but a shift in focus from technology to process redesign by taking advantage of automation, including generative AI and agentic AI.
Why this is a favorite: Most organizations have complex work processes that have developed over years and even decades. They also have a large and diverse installed base of technology and automation. Introducing a new tool into the mix often leads to more complexity and inefficiency. A process redesign can enable rapid adoption of new technology, including that of AI agents.
So, I am suggesting a shift in focus from the “what” (the specific tool) to the “how” (the process automation) and the “why” (the benefits and outcomes). This will also drive legal tech’s effect beyond just a single application.